Make plans to attend the Cycle Tourism Conference, a full-day conference to be held in downtown Toronto on March 1, 2019 hosted by Ontario By Bike / Transportation Options




*Program subject to change should circumstances require
8:45am to 5:15pm
Chelsea Hotel, Downtown Toronto
8:00 – 8:45am
Registration & Breakfast
8:45 – 9:15am
Opening Remarks
- Louisa Mursell, Ontario By Bike / Transportation Options
- Chair, Board of Directors, Transportation Options
- Councillor Mike Layton, City of Toronto
- Bryan Plumstead, Board of Directors, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario; & Grey County Tourism
9:15 – 10:15am
Morning Keynote Speaker
Cycle Tourism “Made in Germany” – Germany´s Recipe for Success – Frank Hofmann, National Chairman of Tourism, German National Cyclists’ Association (ADFC)
10:15 – 10:30am
Morning Coffee and Networking Break
10:30 – 11:45am
Morning Concurrent Session 1: Building Cycle Tourism Through Cycling Events
- Tourism Elements of a Signature Cycling Event – John Thorpe, Paris to Ancaster Bike Race
- Beyond the Bicycling: Connecting Guests and Communities – Matt Van Slyke & Doug Haney, Cycle Adirondacks
- Developing Bicycle Tourism with fabulous Bicycle Tour Experiences – Nathalie Lauzon, Vélo Québec Voyages
Morning Concurrent Session 2: Building Cycle Tourism Through Bike Tours
- Essential Components of a Cycle Tour Experience: A Case Study of Prince Edward County – Robbin McKinney, Randonee Tours & Great Explorations
- The Success of 3-Hour Guided Tours – Shea Mayer & Diego Salamone, Fitz and Follwell Co.
- An Upstart Operator in an Upstart Region: Tales from the Road Less Travelled – Sara McEwen, Humdinger Bicycle Tours
11:45 – 12:15pm
Lunch Break
12:15 – 1:30pm
Award Ceremony and Presentations
- Ontario By Bike best bicycle friendly business awards and lightening presentations
- Accommodating and Catering to the Cycling Market in Cesenatico, Italy – Silvia Pasolini, Lungomare Bike Hotel & Italy Cycling Holidays
1:30 – 1:45pm
Networking Break
1:45 – 3:00pm
Afternoon Concurrent Session 1: Knowing the Market & Measuring the Impact of Cycle Tourism
- Uncovering Ontario Cyclists’ Segmentations – Kim Clarke & Rosa Rumeo, RTO7/Bruce Grey Simcoe & Environics Analytics
- The US Adventure Cycling Market & More – Joanne Wolnik, RTO1/Ontario’s Southwest
- Capturing the Impact of the Cycle Tourism Sector – Louisa Mursell, Ontario By Bike/Transportation Options
Afternoon Concurrent Session 2: Marketing Cycle Tourism
- Ride High Country: Marketing Australia’s Premier Cycling Destination (By live video) – Matt White, Ride High Country
- Destination Spin: How Explorers’ Edge Uses Content Marketing To Promote Cycling Product & Experiences – Kate Monk, RTO12/Explorers’ Edge
- Building the Market & Relationships for Non-Profit Cycling Events – Dana Hensen, MS Society of Canada (MS Bike)
3:00 – 3:15pm
Afternoon Coffee and Networking Break
3:15 – 4:30pm
Plenary Session: Developing Cycle Tourism Product
Panel Presentations & Discussion:
- Trail Town: A Model for Community Development – Amy Camp, Cycle Forward
- HamBur Loop: Building a Destination`s Signature Tourism Cycling Loop – Maria Fortunato, RTO3/Hamilton Halton Brant
- Story-Telling on the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail: Making the People Ponnection – Marlaine Koehler, Waterfront Regeneration Trust
4:30 – 5:00pm
Afternoon Keynote Speaker
Haute-Yamaska, Quebec and its Cycling Network: A Success for Over 28 years – Mayor Pascal Bonin, Town of Granby
5:00 – 5:15pm
Closing Remarks
Louisa Mursell & Michael McCreesh, Ontario By Bike / Transportation Options
Pre & Post Conference Programming
- February 28 – Join Toronto Bicycle Tours for a 2 hour complimentary bike tour in downtown Toronto. Bike rental included. Tour runs sun or snow! Start from near Dundas Street West and University Avenue, 3pm to 5pm. Pre-registration required. We will follow up with those who indicate interest during registration.
- March 1 – Evening – Post conference join us and other conference attendees for a beverage and to continue the conversation at Duke’s on Gerrard, conveniently located across the street from Chelsea Hotel Gerrard Street entrance.
- March 1 to 3 – Toronto International Bicycle Show. All conference attendees will receive a complimentary entry to the world’s largest consumer bike show and partner event on all weekend long. Don’t miss your opportunity to check it out.
*Conference program and speakers are being updated weekly, check back frequently for more information. Programming and speakers subject to change.
As we further develop conference programming, presentations and sessions will cover a variety of topics under the following:
Growing the cycle tourism market through emerging trends
Marketing cycle tourism product and experiences
Serving the cycle tourist market
Measuring the impact on destinations and businesses
Confirmed speakers looking to provide information on presentation are requested to fill out the form available HERE.
If you submited a proposal to speak, thank you. We will be contacting you soon with updates.
Contact info
For more information on the conference, please call 1-866-701-2774 / 416-827-2774 or contact through email Transportation Options’ Executive Director, Louisa Mursell at lmursell@transportationoptions.org or Ontario By Bike’s Project Manager, Michael McCreesh at mmccreesh@transportationoptions.org.
The 2019 Cycle Tourism Conference is made possible by the generous support of the following partners and sponsors:
Platinum Spoke Sponsor
Gold Spoke Sponsors
Carbon Spoke Sponsors
Interested in partnering with the 2019 Cycle Tourism Conference?
Download the 2019 Cycle Tourism Conference Sponsorship Packages
Or inquire directly at info@ontariobybike.ca